Parachute rip cord assembly



June 2, 1936. E L gOFF MAN 2,042,466

PARACHUTE RIP CORD ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 18, 1953 INVENTOR EDWARD L./-/OFF N %:62 r 1 MM/ Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED I STATES PATENT. OFFICE PARACHUTE RIP CORD ASSEMBLY Edward L. Hoffman, Dayton, Ohio Application November 18, 1933, Serial No. 698,620

' 2 Claims. (01. 244 -21) (Granted under the act of- March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in rip cords and more particularly to the handle and pocket for retaining the same upon the body harness of an aviator.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, yet novel rip cord assembly, the handle of which is adapted to be grasped manually whereby to operate the rip cord for releasing the parachute retainer and effect a release of the parachute therefrom, suitable holding means being provided for frictionally holding the handle securely to the body harness in such a manner as to prohibit the handle from being accidentally disengaged from its holding means.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a rip cord handle and pocket therefor, the rip cord handle being characterized by being of U-shape, the free ends of which extend into the pocket and in further constructing the pocket in such a manner as to provide separate compartments the sides of which frictionally engage the free sides'of the rip cord handle when inserted therein.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the rip cord assembly shown attached to the strap of a body harness.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rip cord handle with release cord attached.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the rip cord pocket.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein corresponding parts are designated by like numerals throughout the several views thereof, the numeral I0 designates a body strap of a parachute harness having secured thereto as by stitching II a pocket [2. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, the pocket I2 is formed from a single sheet of fibrous material, such as leather or the like, which is folded upon itself along the line l3 to provide superposed layers l4 and IS, the one forming the back of the pocket while the other forms the forward side thereof. As will be noted from the drawing, the front and back side of the pocket are disposed in contiguous relation with respect to one another and are secured together by means of stitching l6 and i1 adjacent their opposite ends. It should also be noted that the pocket is stitched together intermediate its ends as indicated by the numeral I 8 to form separate compartments 5 identified by the letters A and B. r

The holder for the rip cord, as indicated in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2, comprises generally a U- shaped handle including a hand grasping portion at the bight end thereof indicated by the nu- 10 meral l9 and free sides 20 and 2| extending from said hand grasping portion and disposed in parallel relation with respect to one another.

To effect lightness in weight, the rip cord handle is preferably constructedof light weight tu- 15 bular material, such as duralumin or the like, the lower free side of which as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a pair of adjacent openings 22 on its upper periphery and further provided with a single opening 23 on its lower periphery 20 and oppositely disposed with respect to the first mentioned upper openings. A release cord 24 is attached to the lower free side of the rip cord handle by inserting the same through the openings in the manner indicated in Fig. 2 and there- 25 after fixedly securing the cord to the rip cord handle by sweating or brazing. The upper free side of the rip cord handle is provided with a loop 25 at its end which prevents the hand from slipping oif the handle in releasing the cord 24 0 from the parachute retainer. This loop also provides an attachment eye for use when the rip cord is to be operated by a lanyard attached to the plane and also serves to further frictionally retain the rip cord in its pocket.

By reason of the above described construction of the preferred arrangement of rip cord handle and the pocket, it will be apparent that the handle will be frictionally retained in its pocket against accidental removal at all times 40 yet leaving the hand grasping portion of the handle in an exposed easily grasped position and with the release cord disposed snugly against the side of the body harness and pocket of the rip cord handle and thereby overcome any tend- 45 ency of catching the. release cord on the pocket or adjacent parts of the parachute apparatus.

It is to be understood that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the several parts may be made to the form of the invention 50 herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rip cord assembly for a parachute re- 55 Vtainer, a holder comprising a U-shaped handle termediate portion to form separate receiving chambers, the normal width of said chamberopenings being materially less than; the width: of v either of said free sides whereupon the received portions of said free sides are restrained in said chambers by the gripping, action ofthe materials of said superposed layers in being bulged.

outwardly.

2. In a rip cord assembly for a parachute vretainer, a holder comprising a* U'-shaped handle having a hand grasping portion and parallel sides extending from said hand grasping portion, a release cord, the free end of which is fixedly secured to one of said parallel sides, and a pocket for said holder, said pocket comprising a single sheet of fibrous material folded upon itself longitudinally to provide a substantially flat body portion rectangular in shape, saidbody portion being secured together adjacent its ends and mid-portions to provide separate receiving chambers, the normal width of which is materially less than the-width of either of said parallel sides in cross-section whereby, upon insertion of said sides in said chambers, the materials of said body portion are caused to yield outwardly l5 and frictionally engage the inserted portions of Said freeisides.

EDWARD L. HOFFMAN. 

